Strategy and Deception
by Demonic Angel Clone
Summary: Sometimes trying to find your own path could make you lose yourself...That's why you make a new plan and execute it. Shika X Ino


**AN:** Yes, I'm quite aware that it's been a WHILE since I've done a story, however, I LOVE this couple, so I thought I would post this as a pilot and depending on the feedback, I may/ may not continue this. I'm just gonna keep my fingers crossed. This is in Shikamaru's POV (Yes!)

**Disclaimer**: If I owned Naruto...(contemplates) I'd be rich! (nice guy smile)

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**Prologue: Never Too Late…**

As she clutched my chunnin vest, pulling me down to her level, I inhaled her scent and imprinted it in my memory. She always smelt like flowers and honey, but her tears were washing the scent away. The burning liquid trailing down her face felt hot against mine and began to overpower her taste. Of course, I didn't forget that her father's eyes were watching us intensely and that he began to approach. I quickly wrapped my arms around Ino's waist and spun her around in the direction opposite of her father, away from harm. She never broke our kiss and wrapped her arms around my neck for support. Despite the fact that my eyes were closed, I could feel her father's shadow looming overhead, but before he got closer, he suddenly stopped.

"_Shikato_..." He whispered dangerously, "Release me."

"I can't do that, Inoichi..." My father stated, "Not until you calm down."

"_Calm down_? You have the audacity to tell me to calm down?" He questioned darkly, a low chuckle apparent in his tone. "Your son," He started indignantly, "has deflowered my daughter, your _god-daughter_, and the best you can do is tell me to calm down?" Inoichi retorted unforgivably. Ino's grip on my vest increased, but our kiss abruptly ended when I felt her being pulled away. I reached out for her reflexively, wanting her warmth.

"Mom, let me go!" Ino narrowed her eyes as she tried to free herself from her mother's grasp.

"Ino," Mrs.Yamanaka started warningly, "get in the house. Now. We'll discuss this later."

"No." Ino stated just as determinedly. "We'll discuss this now. Why can't you just accept the fact that I love Shikamaru?"

"Because you're too young to know what love is! You're even too young to be..."Her mother's rage faded as she was hit with a realization.

"What mom? Are you going to say I'm too young to be _intimate_ too?" Ino said defiantly, a dark humorous tone embedded in her question. "Then I guess you're too young to be _grandparents_!"

Usually, I prefer silence, for the peaceful stillness it held. However, this silence only amplified the known tension in the air. In a matter of moments, Mrs.Yamanaka's face went from red in anger to pale with astonishment. "You-you're pregnant?" She whispered urgently, a scandalized fear on her face. Ino immediately put her hand over her mouth, realizing her error.

I felt her father's eyes, burning through my skull. I stood there like I was caught in my own jutsu, knowing that if I turned around, my father would probably release the jutsu to allow Inoichi to kill me. And as troublesome as this is, dying right now was not an option, especially since Ino held our unborn child.

I raised my hands from their dormant position and turned around.

As expected, my father released the jutsu in anger, but mostly, shock. The barely lit cigarette he had in his mouth fell to the ground with a barely audible thud. As Inoichi regained control of his body and began to raise his hands, I had already completed my jutsu.

_**Shadow Possession Jutsu!**_

Mr. Yamanaka's hands soon recoiled back to his side as he stood, paralyzed again.

"If you know what's good for you…" He stared into my eyes with rage, "You'll let me go."

"Mr. Yamanaka, just hear me out."

"_Hear you out?!_" Inoichi yelled, "Shikato…" He muttered, looking downcast in thought, "Your boy has some nerve. First, he violates my daughter, second, he impregnates her, and now the little punk wants me to hear him out…typical, he acts just like you."

Dad never really has been disappointed in me before…in fact, I don't think I've ever disappointed him. But the way he looked at me after Inoichi's comment, the hurt and frustration, really hurt me. Nonetheless, I couldn't concentrate on that right now, I had bigger matters to think about, like how long I could keep up this jutsu with my chakra level so low.

"Inoichi," My dad started to speak after being quiet for so long, "I guess we _both_ have a lot of nerve. It's convenient how you could stand there, well, as if you had a choice," A wicked smile graced his features for a few moments at his own ill-fated humor, "And suddenly forget that it takes _two_ to tango…"

Inoichi's eyes widened after that response, the hidden meaning evident on his face. "How dare you imply that my daughter, whose innocence was _stolen_ from her, would willingly do this?"

Before my father could reply, the girl in question began expressing her rage. "Dad, stop treating me like a little girl! I am _not_ little and defiantly _not_ innocent. I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

Inoichi's face began to pale at this comment, but he quickly regained composure. "Sweetheart," He said as he began to sigh, but stiffened automatically, "Ino, your mind has been clouded by the mere idea of what you _think_ love is. But you're right…"

It was Ino's turn to be surprised as her eyes began to widen, not expecting that response.

"You're not little…" Inoichi paused, letting his statement sink in. "And you are old enough to make your own decisions. _However_, in this case, you are not in the right state of mind to make those decisions and in your attempt to diminish your innocence, you have made the worst decision possible. As such, this union is _over_. "

His declaration hit Ino first before she reacted to it, but I was the first to speak.

"You can't stop me from seeing Ino."

"Like Hell I won't…" He stated with an underlying rage.

"You won't! You _can't_! You cannot stop me from seeing Shikamaru!" Ino proclaimed in her defiant nature.

"But that's where you're wrong, sweetheart…" Inoichi stood dormant with a straining smirk on his face. "You see, just because I acknowledge that you're not little anymore, the fact remains. You'll _always_ be my little girl."

"You-you can't do this…" She whispered as a lone tear fell, tracing the outline of her face.

"Ino…" I turned around to face her, causing Inoichi to face my father.

Ino held both of her hands on her bare stomach, still wearing her deep purple kunoichi outfit since she wasn't showing yet. Her eyes were directed down to the ground, her blue orbs struggling to retain the tears threatening to fall.

"Ino…_look at me_." Her piercing blue eyes snapped up to meet mine, both beautiful and sad.

I'm normally not a touchy-feely person. I'm not the type to get hung up over emotions and personally I tend to avoid people who are over-emotional. Even Ino is stronger than that, despite her mood swings. Yes, she did cry when Asuma died, but why wouldn't she?

In fact, the only reason I know this is because I followed her home to make sure she got there safe. Her eyes were the same then as they are now. Uncertain of what the future held, vulnerable to the fact that she couldn't have done anything to stop it, and afraid of what everyone would think of her. Looking straight into her eyes, I made a silent vow. I would never let Ino Yamanaka look that way again, no matter what my relationship with her was.

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AN: Yup, this is the part where I show my appreciation to you for reading my story...and NOW is the part where you click on that button that says "Go." 


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